Refrigerator condensate receiver



Dec. 6, 1949 H. A. TUscHLlNG' 2,490,491

REFRIGERATOR CONDENSTE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 De- 6, 1949 H. A. ruscl-iLlNc; 2,490,491

REFRIGERATOR CONDENSATE RECEIVER Filed Nov. 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 6, 1949 REFRIGERA'roa coNDENsA'rE naoalvaa Herman A. Tuschling, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, a corpora- A tion of lyllelaware Application November s, 1945, serial No. 27,02:

partment and the evaporator chamber for pre-- venting undesirablylow temperature in said compartment.

Another object of lthe invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet which is provided with a chamber containing an evaporator and a humid storage compartment with a removable receiver for the condensate which forms the top of the humid storage compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receiver unit for condensate from an evaporator which includes a drain-top and a retaining pan for the condensate, and is adapted to be removably supported in the refrigerator cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receiver unit of this Icharacter which is adapted to be withdrawn from the refrigerator and transported without likelihood of spilling the liquid therefrom.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet of a refrigerator, the front door being removed and a portion of the evaporator shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the pan which receives the condensate.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the Icover for the pan.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the condensatereceiver in a tilted position to illustrate the retention of pools of condensate in the pockets of the pan.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 5 of Fig. 5.

The invention is exemplified in a refrigeratorcabinet 8, having an open front and is provided with a door 9 for providing access to and closing the compartments in the cabinet. A shell type evaporator I0, which is rectangular in crosssection, is supported by brackets I I adjacent the top wall of the vcabinet 8 in a chamber 20 in the upper portion of the cabinet. The evaporator III is usually formed of inner and outer walls I2 and I3 between which the refrigerant circulates. The inner wail I2 of the evaporator I0 s claims. (ci. sz-ios) forms a compartment I0* for storing frozen foods. The front IIih of the evaporator is removable for access to compartment I 0'".

The refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator by any suitable apparatus, such, for example, as a combined motor and compressor unit I4, which delivers the compressed refrigerant to a condenser I5 yin which the refrigerant is liquied, a pipe I6 for delivering the refrigerant in controlled quantityy to the evaporator I0, and a pipe I1 for conducting the spent refrigerant from the evaporator to the suction side of the compressor, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2. Theoperation of the motor of unit I4 is usually controlled by a thermostat (not shown) adjacent the evaporator, as well understood in the art.

A series of trays I 9 for freezing ice cubes are removably supported on the top of the evaporator I0. The chamber 20 in the cabinet which contains the evaporator I0 extends around the sides. front, back and top of the evaporator for cooling the surrounding air.

A humid storage compartment 22 is provided in the cabinet below the evaporator chamber 20 and comprises a bottom wall 24, and a ba'ck wall 25, which extend between the sides of the cabinet-liner 20. Y

A storage shelf. 23 may be provided in compartment 22. l

A dry storage compartment 21 is provided in the cabinet below the humid storage compartment 22. The back wall 25 of compartment 22 is spaced from the back wall of the cabinet to provide a conduit 28 extending across the interior of the cabinet for the flow of air between chamber 20 and compartment 21. The evaporator I0 is adapted to produce the desired temperature in compartment Illa for storing frozen foods and retaining them in a frozen condition. humid storage compartment 22 is adapted for storing foods having a relatively high water content and retaining the moisture therein, so it will not condense on the sidesof compartment 22. Compartment 21 is adapted for the storage of foods at normal temperatures, usually about 43 F. and with relatively low humidities, and is usually referred to as a dry storage compartment. The door 9 when closed is sealed against the frontl of the cabinet by suitable packing or gasketmaterial 3|. Shelves 32 may be provided in com-v partment 21.

The top of the humid storage compartment 22 is formed .by a condensate receiver which functions as a hollow or double-walled baille between the evaporator 20 and the compartment The 22 in order to maintain said compartment at the desired temperature, usually 40 F. for humid storage of comestibles. The top of humid storage compartment 22 is exposed to very cold air from the bottom of evaporator Ill so that without insulation at thek top of said compartment, the temperature of the dividing or separating wall would fall so low that the moisture would condense therein and the humidity would be reduced below that desired in compartment 22 and dehydrate the comestibles stored therein.

This condensate-receiver is adapted to baille and measurably insulate the top of the humid storage compartment 22 from the extremely cold air at the bottom of the evaporator III and also forms the top of compartment 22. This condensate-receiver comprises a pan, generally designated 33, and a cover, generally designated 34, which rit between the sides and back wall of compartment 22 and form a closure between the top of compartment 22 and chamber 20. The pan 33 is formed of sheet metal and comprises a bottom 35, an upstanding integral marginal rim 36, and an inturned flange 31 on the top of the rim. The cover 34 is also formed of sheet metal and comprises a top 38 with a downturne rim 40 which is adapted to telescopically nt the rim 3B of pan 33. The top 39 of cover 34 is provided with portions 4 l. sloping slightly downwardly from its marginal portion to its geometrical center for draining the condensate to said center which is provided with a hole 42 through which the condensate flows into the pan 33 where it is retained.

The condensate results from the frost or ice which forms on the outer surfaces of evaporator It, during the operation vof the compressor, which may melt during oi'r cycles of the compressor and drip onto the cover 34. The downwardly sloping portions 4l drain the condensate through hole 42 into the pan 33. 'I'his pan and cover constitute a hollow 'or double-walled receiver for the condensate between the humid storage compartment 22 and the evaporator I0 in chamber 23, which functions as a baille to retard the heat transfer from the extremely cold air adjacent the bottom of the evaporator l to the compartment vcomestibles therein in a frozen condition and to freeze the water in trays I3. The humid storage compartment 22 is closed by door 30 and sealing strips 44 and 4l against the entry of air from chamber around the evaporator i0. The removable condensate-receiver which forms the top wall of humid storage compartment 22 is exposed 22 so that the temperature in said compartment 22 will be maintained at the desired temperature and humidity, usually F., for preventing condensation on the walls of compartment 22 of the moisture in the comestibles stored in said compartment. A strip of elastic packing or gasket material 44 is mounted on the door 33 for engaging the front edge of the bottom wall 24 of compartment 22 and a strip of elastic packing or gasket material is mounted on the door Il for engaging the front edge of the cover 34 of pan 33 to seal said compartment 22 against the entry of air from chamber 20 and storage compartment 21, when said door is closed.

The receiver is removably supported in any suitable manner, for example, by guides 41 on the side walls of compartment 22 so that it can be withdrawn from said compartment and the cabinet for disposition of the collected condensate. The front edge of pan 33 is preferably formed with an inset portion 49 to permit cover 34 to be gripped for withdrawal of the receiver from com'- partment 22 and to permit cover 34 to be removed from the pan when it is to be emptied. The pan and cover are of such contour and size to extend over and form the entire top of compartment 22. In practice it 4is desirable to prevent the condensate from being spilled from the pan while being removed from the cabinet and emptied.

to extremely cold air below evaporator I3 in chamber 20 and measurably reduces heat conduction between said chamber and said compartment so that the temperature of its lower surface in contact with the air in compartment 22 will be maintained at as high a temperature as possible to maintain the desired temperature in compartment 22, for example, 40 F., to prevent condensation oi' the moisture on said lower surface and dehydration of thecomestibles stored in com- .partment 22. Cover 34 and pan 33 providea double-walled structure for this purpose. During the oi cycle periods of the compressor, the frost or ice which may have accumulated on evaporator I3 will melt and drip as condensate onto the cover 34 of the receiver and drain through hole 42 in its center into pan 33 when it will be retained fori periodical removal. Cold air from chamber 23 circulates through conduit 48 between the back wall of compartment 22 and the back wall of the cabinet for maintaining the temperature in coin-A partment 21 at the desired temperature, usually 43 F., for the storage of dry comestibles. When it is necessary to remove the condensate accumulated in the pan 33 of the receiver, the latter may be withdrawn when the door 30 is opened and removed from the cabinet. When thus removed, the cover 34 may be lifted from the pan 33 and the condensate disposed of as desired. During the removal of the receiver, the pockets or cells 33 in the pan aid in preventing the condensate from being spilled.

The invention exemplies a refrigerator of the .type which includes a closed humid storage comcluding a drain-cover and al pan which form the'v top of a double-wall structure which forms the top of the humid storage compartment and a bafile between said compartment and the chamber containing the evaporator, i'or preventing sufilciently low temperature of the humid storage compartment which will condense the moisture of the comestibles stored therein. It also exempliiles a removable condensate-receiver which includes a pan and a drain-cover for receiving the condensate from the evaporator.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details described, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment, a double-walled condensate receiver positioned between said evaporator and compartment including a drain cover for collecting condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said receiver extending horizontally across said compartment and providing a substantially closed chamber for retaining moisture and distributing the same across said compartment, and an opening in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass into said chamber.

2. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment, a removable top for said compartment comprising a double-walled condensate receiver including a drain cover adapted to collect condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said drain cover being removable from said pan, said receiver providing a substantially closed chamber adapted to retain condensate therein and distribute the same entirely across the top of said compartment, and an'opening in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass to said pan.

3. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment, a removable top for said compartment comprising a double walled condensate receiver including a drain cover adapted to collect condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said drain cover being removlable from said pan, said receiver providing a substantially closed chamber adapted to retain moisture therein and distribute the same across the top of said compartment, an opening in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass to said pan, and a plurality of condensate retaining pockets formed in the bottom wall of said pan.

4. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment having vertical side walls therein, the vertical height of said side walls being greater than one half the depth of said compartment, a double walled condensate receiver positioned between said evaporator and compartment and including a drain cover for collecting condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said receiver extendinghorizontally above saidcompartment and providing a substantially closed chamber for retaining moisture and distributing the same across said compartment, and an open ing in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass into said chamber.

5. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment having vertical side walls therein, the vertical height of said side walls being greater than one half the depth of said compartment, a removable top for said compartment comprising a double-walledlcondensate receiver including a drain cover adapted to collect condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said receiver providing a substantially closed chamber forV retaining condensate therein and adapted to distribute the same entirely across the' top of said compartment, and an opening in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass to said pan.

6. In a refrigerator having an evaporator and a humid storage compartment having vertical side walls disposed therein, the vertical height of said side walls being greater than one-half the depth of said compartment, a double-walled condensate receiver including a drain cover adapted to collect condensate from said evaporator and a pan, said drain cover being removable from said pan, said receiver providing a substantially closed chamber adapted to retain moisture therein and to distribute said moisture across the top of said compartment, an opening in said drain cover for permitting condensate collected thereby to pass to said pan, and a plurality of condensate retaining pockets formed in the bottom wall of said pan.

HERMAN A. TUSCHLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

